Open with Care: supporting meaningful contact in adult care homes – principles

Visiting terms- glossary

Routine visiting

Routine visiting means where there are no recommended limits around the number, frequency or length of visits.

Named visitors during COVID outbreak or resident isolation

During a COVID outbreak in the home, residents can choose three named visitors to spend time with them in their room or outdoors in a garden area – one person each day.. This does not replace essential visiting arrangements which are always supported during outbreaks. 

Essential visiting (always supported)

Essential visits are facilitated where it is imperative that a resident and their friends or relatives see each other for example due to stress/distress of either resident or relative, or end of life care situations.  They should be continue to be supported and not limited to one person, frequency or time period.

Review Process

This guidance reflects current COVID-19 guidance and health and safety advice for adult care homes. It will be kept under review in line with any changes in Public Health Scotland and ARHAI Scotland guidance, and feedback from Health and Social Care partnerships, providers, representative groups and people using services will be sought prior to any change.

Independent advice should be sought by parties where they feel it necessary. It is important that any bodies who provide or manage any types of care home referred to in this guidance continue to check and comply with all legal obligations on them to be sure the care home is a safe place to visit and with any health and safety or other obligations in respect of it being a safe workplace. This guidance does not supersede or provide any advice on those matters.

We regularly review our guidance. If you have any questions about this document please contact your sector representatives or contact us directly. We will update this guide to provide more information as necessary.